On the GDM login screen of 11.04 and earlier, I think there was an xterm session option that would just give you a command line. Alternatively, you may be able to reach something from a recovery option in GRUB, though you probably wouldn't be able to set it as a default that way.
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Christopher Kyle HortonNov 14 '11 at 7:31

That works for lightdm, this works for any graphical login manager? This is the proper way of loading a Linux system without loading a X server? Just seems more logical? Choose one... :)
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Bruno PereiraJan 23 '14 at 22:21

Any graphical login manager ? This solution instead is tied to grub which it is not used (or even available) on new mobile platforms where Ubuntu runs, while disabling the service is bootloader-independent. Proper way ? No fact mentioned. More logical ? Inhibiting a particular service is not a logically a boot-time parameter. But you're still right somehow due to another fact: your solution not only inhibits lightdm but also plymouth (at initrd step and others), so its semantics is not "disable X" but "disable any graphical setup" and that needs to fiddle bootloader configuration. Thanks !
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Stéphane GourichonJan 24 '14 at 8:45

1

Since the question is made for Ubuntu and not the mobile platform (can you even change anything in the mobile version of Ubuntu? Why would that be a good thing? I am guessing you would be locked to a prompt that knows nothing about keyboard input and accepts fancy finger touches and gestures :P) I am assuming we are talking about Ubuntu, the desktop Linux based operative system that I love and can modify to my needs. :) But you are right, there is a semantics issue with the title of the post, feel free to edit it to something more proper! Thanks for the comments.
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Bruno PereiraJan 24 '14 at 10:36

Don't assume non-PC platforms are mobile phones or tablet only, poking fun at anyone showing that there's something outside Plato's cave. All those anyway start as development boards without screen, keyboard or mouse but rather a serial port as first communication channel, and keyboard support (e.g. via USB, or even USB OTG for the final product) is likely to be available before touchscreen. wiki.ubuntu.com/ARM
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Stéphane GourichonJan 25 '14 at 16:57

Note:
Removing quiet splash (i.e. GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="") will show text during boot but then show a graphical login screen as usual. Replacing quiet splash with text will leave you at a login prompt; to start a GNOME session, use sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start or startx.

When you install Ubuntu-desktop, it will automatically set lightdm to start with the system. You will have to disable this (probably by editing /etc/rc.local) and use startx to run the graphical interface when you need it.

I noticed this thread revolves around assuming you are using LightDM as the Display Manager. Though this may be the usual DM/welcomer, that isn't part of the original question. (And he did not specify..)

In my case:

I use KDE/KDM on my server. Instead, I simply disable the upstart/service from starting under runlevel 2:

Assuming your default runlevel is 2 on fresh reboot, you will have a console and not KDM. Then you can run DM/DE manually when needed = Use 'startx' /etc. To return machine to console and exit X server completely after this, just use 'log out'.

Other dm .confs scripts are similar.
(I setup my server like this.. to be able to work using a GUI occasionally - but, not pull resources when not using/needed or simply rebooting.)

Save the changes (hit ctrl + o followed by ENTER) and close the file (ctrl + x).

To apply the new configuration do this

sudo update-grub

Now restart your PC

sudo reboot

There you are... A text-graphic login screen... Supply your credentials to log-in to the tty (default tty1). You can change the tty's with crtl + alt + [F1 to F6] for tty1 to tty6. You may also start the X session (X11 session), the graphical user interface, with sudo start lightdm (ctrl + alt + F7).

PS: In case you want to revert the changes you've made here follow the link:

This answer would be much improved by explaining how to achieve "not letting LightDM or GDM/KDM start" when the system starts up. For example, do you recommend accomplishing this by renaming startup scripts? (If so, you could explain exactly how to do that.) I recommend editing this question to expand it in this way.
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Eliah KaganJul 19 '12 at 5:07